Bag-filling machine



C. F. SPARKS.

- BAG FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 1919.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

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C. F. SPARKS.

BAG FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 19x9.

C. F. SPARKS.

BAG FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 1919.

1,348,592. Patented 3,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- intense,"

. Be it known that I, CI-IAR ns crIAJaLEs sranns, or ALTON, ILLInoIs.

BAG-rILL nsi/monmn;

To all wkomz't mag/concern: i

F. Sranns, a citizen of the United citates,1residi ng at AL ton, Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Bag-Fillinglnachines, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art'to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification'.-J

lldyinvention relates generally tobag. filling machines and more particularlyto means for supportingthe bag while it isbeing filled and handling said bag and removing it from the filling machine immediately after the iilling operation has been accomplished.

In practically all the automatic bag filling iliachines now in general use, the bag or con-v tainer to befilled is placed on a platform with the mouth of the bag around thelower end of'the filling spout of the machine and the platform; is then raised so as to'position the oottom of the bag a few inches below the lower end of the discharge spout. -As the filling operation takes place, the worm' or feed screw operating withinthe discharge spout forces the material into the bag, and

the latter and theplatform supporting the same are forced downward until the bag is filled When the bag carrying platform reaches a certain point in its downward travel, the operation of the feeding mecha nism is discontinued and'the filled bag is now removed from the platform either by manual action of the operator or by'mechanically operated means which drags the bag ofl the platform onto'a Weighing scaleor onto an endless carrier. This procedurehas certain disadvantagse for, if the filled bags are relatively-heavy, the removing operation "involves a certain amount of time and considerable effort on the part of the operator; or, if the sacksare comparatively light in weight the removing operation must neces sarily be unusually rapid in order to maintain the proper output of packed material,

In the best known automaticpacking machines now in general use, the operator must be constantly on thealert-and just at the proper time when the platform has moved I downward a certain distance, andthe feed ing mechanism has been stopped, the friction ln-akemust be released to permit the plat formto move downward short dist nce Specification of ietters Patent. i

Patented An 3, 1920.

Application fi1et1'0ct0ber24, 1919. Seriallloi 332,962. r

farther in order to permitthe power actuated arm toswing around and remove the filled package. Theseoperations consume a certain amount oftime and, as stated, re

quire the constant attention of the operator, audit; is the'principal object of my-invention to generally improve upon the types of bag holding platforms and handling means nowin general use and provide a platfori'n that will automatically drop the filled hag onto a conveyerj or the like so, that said bag may-he quickly removed without requiring any handling on the part of the operator.

Further objects of, my invention are, to

provide a construction; which can be utilized in connection with practically all forms of bag filling machines nowin general use and which construction isjautomatie in operation and very effective in the rapid handling; of filled bags and effecting their removal from the filling machine. I i

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompany-- ing drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view ofa portion of a bag filling machine and showing' my improved bag handling mechanism associated therewith. V

Fig; 2 is an elevational view of the bag handlingmechanism with parts thereof in section. I I

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken approXi mately on the line 33 of Fig. 1. I

.- Fig. .4: is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line 4-4: of Fig. 1. 1 I Fig. :5 is ahorizontal section taken aproXimatel on the line 5-5 of Fi 1. I b

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a horizontally disposed framework that is secured to and projectsqoutwardlyjfrom a pair ofsubstazr tially parallel uprights 2 and supported by said framework and between and in front of said'uprights is a hopper?) from which depends a discharge spout 4. Extending downward through thi'sspout 4 is a vertically disposed shaft 5 and carried thereby and positioned immediately above the lower end of the spout 4L isa feed screw 5*. While in operation this feedscrew forces the granular or pulverized material downwardly through the feed spout but when atrest said screw acts as-a gate to prevent the downward passage of the material through the spout.

A vertically movable member 7, and a transverse bottom member frame and parts 'carrie'd thereby is counterbalancedby a weight or we1ghts9 WlllCll latter-are carried by thelower ends of flexi- "ble members 1O such as chains or cables.

These flexible members pass over a drum 11 that is journaled in suitable bearings on the uprights 2 and from said drum the flexible members pass downwardly beneath pulleys 12 that are securedto the upright transverse member 7.

'l he bag supporting platform contemplated by my invention is preferably formed in'two parts, each preferably formed in a single piece and comprising a flat bottom member 18 and a substantially upright member 14. The upright members 14; occupy positions at angles of approximately I one hundred twenty degrees with respect to the bottom members 13 and the upper ends of said upright members 1 1 are hinged upon horizontally disposed pins 15 that are seated in and project forwardly from the upright side members 6 of the vertically moving frame. The bottom members 13 of the sec tional platformextend forwardly from the upright members 14 and when in closed position or swung together, they cotiperate to form a substantially fiat platform which receives and holds the bag in upright position while it is being filled. (See Figs. land 2.)

Projecting outwardly from the upper portions of the upright members 14; are short arms 16 in the outer ends of which are journaled rollers 17 and the latter being adapted to engage against the outwardly turned lower ends 18 of plates 19 that are secured to and project forwardly from the uprights 2. The parts ust described are effect ve n swingingthe members forming the bag supporting platform into closed position during their upward travel and after the filled 'bag has been discharged. 7

To retain the parts of the platform in closed position while supporting a bag, a hook-shaped detent 20 is utilized, said detent depending from a shaft 21 which latter is journaled in suitable bearings on the under side of the lower transverse member 8 of the sliding frame. Proj ecting re'arwardly fromone end of the shaft 21 is a curved finger 22 and fixed to the rear portion of the adjacent upright 2 are brackets 23 and 24:, the same being spaced a suitable distance apart and with which the curved finger 22 is adapted to engage.- The weight of the curved finger 22 practicallycounterbalances the'weight of detent 20 so that shaft 21 frame comprising uorl 'ht side members 6 a transverse to carriesthe parts 20. and 22%111 not tend to rock as a result of being overbaljanced when finger 22 is out of, engagement with brackets 23 and 2 1., Arranged for operation around a drum 25 that is journaled in suitable bearings is an endlessconveyer 26, the same passing between the lower per tion of the uprights 2 and secui'ie'd to the uprights immediately above this endless carrier is'acurved shield or supporting plate 27 that is adapted to act as a supporting wall for the filled bag when the latter dropsonto the 'ove'rrunning portion of the endless conveyer. Positioned immediately" beneath the overrunning portion of the endless conveyer and immediately below the supporting wall or shield is a transversely disposed plate or platform 28 that is-adapted to serve as a support for the upper portion of the conveyer when the filled bag drops thereonto.

The operation At the beginning of the filling'operations, an empty bag such as A is positioned around the lower portion of the spout 1, said bag resting upon the lower portion 13 of the two part platform, said. parts being retained in of my improved; bag han- 'dling machine is as followszclosed position by the 'detent20. As shaft 5 i is rotated, screw 5 forces the pulverized mathe endof shaft '21 that carries the detent will strike against the lower bracket 24 and be shifted so as to withdraw the free end of the detent from its position beneath the rear portions of the horizontal members 13 of the platform and following this action, the weight of the filled bag will'force the two parts of the platform away fromeach other. or to the positions as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and this will permit the bag to drop downward onto ther ove'rrunning portion of the endless conveyer 26, by means of which latter it will be transferred to a weighing scale. As the filled bag thus drops .onto the conveyer, said bag will be pre- Immediately after the filled bag discharges from the platform, the operator places an emptybag upon the 'lowerlportion of the discharge spout 4; and uponmovement of the proper lever by the operator the sliding framework and parts carried thereby will ascend due to the descent of the counterbalancing weights 9. As the parts of the platform move upwardly, the rollers 17 will en- .gage against the rounded lower ends of the plates 19, thereby moving the'partsof the platform into closed position and just before the parts reach their upper'limit of movement, the curved finger 22 on the end of shaft 21 will strike against the underside of bracket 28, thereby swinging the detent into position so that its free end engages beneath the rear inner corners of the plates 13 and thus the platform will be maintained in closed position when the bag is being filled.

If desired, the means for controlling the starting and stoppping operations of the shaft 5 may be thrown into and out ofaction by parts of my improved bag handling machine. For instance, the lever or other device which controls the startingor driving means for the shaft 5 may be actuated so as to start said shaft when the sliding frame reaches its upper limit of travel and likewise said lever or control means may be actuated to stop the shaft when the sliding framework reachesits downward limit of movement.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown a shaft control lever 29 extending, upwardly alongside one of the uprights 2 and pivoted levers 30 connected to said lever 29, said pivoted levers being adapted to be alternately engaged by a finger 31 that projects from one of the upright members 6 of the sliding frame.

If there is any tendency of the filled bag to maintain its position upon either end of the members 13 while the same are swinging away from each other or into open position, stripper arms such as 32 may be secured to the lower transverse member 8 and project forwardly over the platform members adjacent to the lower end of spout 4t and whichstrippers will be effective in limiting the lateral movement of the filled sack in either direction while it is dropping off the platform.

A bag handling device of my improved construction is comparatively simple, can be easily and cheaply manufactured, is applicable for use in connection with practically all forms of bag filling machines now in general use, is entirely automatic in op eration, and is very effective in rapidly performing its intended functions.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved bag handling device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my in vention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable framework mountedfor operation adjacent to the discharge spout of the filling machine, and a drop bottom bag receiving platform associated with said framework, which framework and platform are adapted to move downwardby the pressure of the packing member on the material packed into the bag. I a

The combination with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable framework mounted for operation adjacent to the discharge spout of the filling machine, and a bag receiving platform comprising parts hinged to said frameworkand arranged to swing outwardly at the termination of the downward movement of the framework and inwardly during its upward movement and which framework and platform are adapted to be-moved downward by the pressure of the packing member upon the material fed into the bag carried by said platform.

3. The combination with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member. arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable framework mounted for operation adjacentto the discharge spout of thefilling machine, and a sectional bag receiving platform, the parts of which are adapted to cooperate to support a bag while being filled, said parts being adapted to move away from each other to permit the discharge of the filled bag, and which framework and platform are adapted to be moved downward by the pressure of the packing member upon the mate rial packed into the bag on said platform.

4. The combination with a bag fillingl machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable framework mounted for operation adjacent to the discharge spout of the filling machine, a sectional bag receiving platform, the parts of which are adapted to cooperate to support a bag while being filled, said parts being adapted to move away from eachother to permit the discharge of the filled bag, and means for holding the parts of the bag receiving platform in bag holding position and which framework and platform are adapted to be moved downward by the pressure of the packing member upon the material packed into the bag on said platform.

5. The combination with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout anda packing member arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable member arranged for operation adjacent to the discharge spout of the filling machine, bag holding means on said vertically moving member, parts of which holding means are movable to release the filled bag, which member and bag'holding means are adapted to be moved downward by the pressure of the packing member upon the material packed into the bag, and an endless carrier adapted to receive the filled bagwhen released from the holding means. 7

6. The combination with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member arranged for operation therein, of a bag handling mechanism com prising a vertically movable member and a drop-bottom bag receiving platform associated therewith, which member and platform are adapted to be moved downward by 7. The combination with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable platform adapted to receive a bag and hold the same while it is being filled, parts of which platform are adapted to move away from each other to drop the bag when the same has been filled, which platform is adapted to be moved downward by the pressure of the packing member upon the material packed into a supported bag, and movable means for receiving the filled bag after it drops from the platform.

8. The combination with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable platform adapted to retain a bag while the same is the material being packed into a supported bag, parts ofwhich platform are movable to release the bag when filled, and means for elevating said platform after the filled bag has been released. a

10. The combination" with a bag filling machine, having a discharge spout and a packing member arranged for operation therein, of a vertically movable platform adapted to retain a bag while the same is being filled 'and to move downwardly by the pressure of the packing member upon the material being packed into a supported bag, parts of which platform are movable to release the bag when filled, means for elevating said platform after-the filled bag has been released, and means for shifting the movable parts of the platform into position to receive an unfilled bag.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature this 21st day of October, 1919.

CHARLES F. SPARKS. 

